The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-25

shNlfl'ii'no " illN lNlllilN All lilf NthIs lllt
night before New Years booths are erected
for the sale Of caudios, figs. dates, %raisins,
nuts OF all kinds, pomcgranates and toys,
and however poor a man is, it is obligatory
on him TO take home to his family as
much OF these things ny he can buy.
Some OF these poor people have TO sCrape
and pinch for long months toward n pro-
vision for this great feast Of the year. The
wives make u point OF giving presents Of
something useful made by their own
hands. The most useful present is a to-
bacco pouch, either crocheted out of gold
or silver thread or embroidered richly.
The men never giyetheir wives orchildren
any presents but money, and this the
poorest gives all round TO his family. OF
course the little. cheap toys do not count,
for there are none but the commonest and
most dcstructible kind. The amount given
to each necessarily depends upon the
means Of the man, but the money he gives
his children IL TO be put into a little
earthen pot, which is their bank, and is
kept always, so that by the time they are
grown there is quite n little sun.
Among the wealthicr classes OF all the
Greeks and Bulgarians the gentlemen pay
calls on their lady friends, but they never
go empty-handed, and when they take
their leaves they find all the servants of
the family drawn up in line ut the door,
awaiting the gift OF money which is al
ways given. The gifts which the gentle
men are Obliged by custom to give the
wives OF all their friends are in q measure
returned 10 their wives from their friends;
hut it il n very heavy tax on a mans
purse. New Years is emphatically the
ladies' day in that country, and the GUS
tom of giving presents can be traced back
to great antiquity. Three days later ladies
visit each other, but on New Years day
none leaves her home.
Refreshments OF coffee, n Ia turque, are
served with s~weetmcats, but no wine or
liquor OF any kind. Indeed, no drunken
Greek was ever seen 10 my knowledge on
this day. The sweetmeats, which consist
Of very tenacious jelly, favored with the
odor OF rose or violet, are served in glasses,
and with each tray is another glassful of
tiny gold or silver spoons and an empty
glass. You are expected 70 take one spoon
iul Of such jelly az you prefer, swallowthi
and place the soiled spoon in the empty
glass. On no account take another spoon
ful. After this coffee is served, a glass OF
water being taken between them.
In the evening, after the ceremonious
calls of the day arc over, among the
Weather classes and the poorest, the fam
lily, and sometimes several families, meet
for an evenings innocent fun. An inn
mensc cake has been made the day before,
and in it ARE placed two small pieces
Of silver, copper or gold money. The
cake Is cut into the same number OF
pieces rs there are persons present, and
each M eats his or her piece, and who
ever Of them gets a coin is the king or
queen Of the feast, and OF all other social
gatherings during the ensuing year. The
two are then crowned with artificial flow
ems, and then follow games, some OF them
very amusing and witty, and quite unlike
any have even secnin any other country.
though some Of them we have closely
copied.
Our new mirth-proyoking game was
played by taking a plate and filling II full
Of Hour In a conical shape and placing a
small silver coin in the summit Of the cone,
edge sticking out a little. Then all
who play have their arms tied behind
them, and they get down on their knees
and stoop forward in the effort TO take this
money out Of the -four with their teeth
without touching their noses in il. Some
oycrbalancn and stick the whole face in.
~ ~ WY hlllltulk w wv NAiiAl - HluNNAdAlNA
81 much fun. Everybody enters into the
games with spirit, from the oldest TO the
youngest.
The night before Christmas there are
numbers Of blind men who 90 about from
house To house, singing a song much like
the carols in England, and ending 10y ask
ing aims In return for u blind mans bless
ing. Some of them improyise their verses
~ they go along, and make local hits and
illusions, which cause much mcrriment,
They generally have violins, lutcs OF
guitars, and always got money.
Epiphany IL another great ceremony 0
the Greek church, even more solemn and
impressive than that of Christmas Eve.
The people go fasting Ia church ~ before
and listen in rcycrcnt silence TO the service,
which is 10 commemorate the baptism o
Christ. and they wait for the ~cclcstia
light which Is simulated by n sort Of stron,
reflector. Then each one lights his wa,
candle, which every man, woman ant
child must have, from q light furnishc,
by the church. Each one brings a papc
lantern, aud this light il carefully cher
!, ishcd aud taken home 10 his dwelling. |
would indicate great disaster To house
hold IL that light should O. out on tn
way. As soon rs they reach home tn
wife lights a little lamp with her taper, am
this lamp IL placed before the small stat
ucttc or picture Of the paniah, which dec
! CRATES the poorrst Greek or Bulgarian
( home. This light must on no account b
allowed 10 90 out for seven days.
/ Just before the lighting Of the candle
1 by the congregation In church, the priest
a, perform a ceremony over a hogshcad q
/ water, and blcss IL. As each one files ou
+. of church he takes n can or bottle Of thi
holy water home. and this Is carefully PR
served 90 be used In extreme eases and .
( sickness during the following year. q
the arrival OF the family ntthCir home the
seat themselves around q table with nul
4 and fruits, as nj Christmas Eve, only mo-
. each one must take a drop or so Of hol
y water into his or her mouth before begin
1 ming to eat, aud they all retire, 10 be u
r early TO assist ut the great ceremony
o blessing the water.
: Then 4. aliitlc village called Arnnuikcu
A or rather was, for IL WIS destroyed 10y tr
. recently. situated ON n point 81 land nj N
!, entrance 10 the Black pea. Al this ppil
!. there il q terribly swift current, whic
y PUSHES with awful force through mum q
q HlRck sra into the HosporOus, and II
n called 'thc devils current This pat
= the strait Il wonderfully beautiful, pa
y ticularly when seen nj early morning enic
% ING from the Black sea. II IL at this pla'
where the ceremony Is held, and hc
nll the Greeks, Bulgurians aud RussiaI
l. who ran walk ~ Tar come TO witne
the blessing Of the seas, which
a mos, impressive ceremony, though east
tmccablc 10 the old, bcnighted days.
10 ends by the chief priest taking a largc :
yer crucihX and throwing Il into the mid